Test your vocabulary and spelling ability as you relive the best moments of the spring semester in this encore edition of the Shield crossword puzzle

shield the Solve the puzzle. Savor the semester. Test your knowledge of some of the key events from 2020 portion of the 2019-2020 school year

MADELYNN NILES

staff reporter

Jan. 8: McCallum students flood the halls for the first time in 2020. The bell rings, and a new chapter begins.

9

5

DOWN

1. Jan. 8: Sporting holiday gifts and giggling as they catch up with friends about their winter breaks, students flood the halls as they head to their first classes of the 2019-2020 _______ semester.

2. Jan. 11: Several days later, seven singing Knights arrive in San Antonio for the final round of the TMEA All-_______ choir auditions, the sopranos’ notes high and the stakes even higher.

3. Jan. 30: With the clickety-clack of character shoes in the backstage halls and live Mac musicians flipping open their music binders to Page 1 as the lights dim, a truly grand opening begins for McCallum’s spring musical, Grand _______, and before the audience even knows it, they are transported into a world tangled in love, death and rose petals falling from above.

4. Feb. 14: Sweet melodies and poems flow through the air of the library on this Valentine’s Day afternoon as students gather for the annual second Coffeehouse showcase, hosted by Mac’s literary magazine, _________.

5. Feb. 14: Later that same evening, the Mac crowd at Dart Bowl buzzes with excitement as both the girls and boys teams win the Austin Capital ________ bowling title, allowing them to move on to regionals.

6. Feb. 15: Poses are struck. Jaws drop. Models strut across the stage of the AISD Performing Arts Center in their student-designed and crafted outfits for the annual Benefit Fashion Show, with this year’s theme being ________.

7. Feb. 22: Just the following weekend, another Mac tradition ensues as 15 senior boys compete for the oh-so-prestigious title of Mr.______, a battle where the weapons of choice are modeling, performing and answering questions in hopes of winning the audience over and therefore the show.

8. Feb. 24: Beneath the lights of House Park at _________ Night for the girls soccer program, an emotional embrace of players paired with a playing of the appropriately-titled “We’re All In This Together” song from the “High School Musical” soundtrack pulls at the heartstrings of many on this special night for the athletes.

ACROSS

9. Feb. 26: Students bustle around the gym plastered with posters and with booths in every corner, promoting languages, arts classes and extracurriculars at Mac’s ________ fair on this Wednesday afternoon. 28 may 2020

6 13

8

14

12 10

4

17

16

2 7

11

1

15

3

10. Feb. 28: A pawsitively precious fundraiser and musical showcase — Mac’s 25th annual Night of _________ — is held tonight, with a special canine guest helping to drum up donations for an animal welfare service.

11. Feb. 29: It was a true leap day as Blue Brigade members soar across the air in perfect formation at the Austin _____ Classic, competing and earning awards for a solo, duet, group officer dance and several team recognitions — about as successful as the day could have gone.

12. March 4: Benching for bills, members of the ________ team gather with their parents in the field house at the annual Lift-A-Thon. 13. March 7: Orchestra and band members cheer and smile with glee on the bus ride home from the PAC after all three groups received ___________, (Division 1 for performance and for sight reading), at the TMEA full orchestra competition.

14. March 8: The next day, despite it being the weekend, many students choose to pick out an outfit featuring the color purple in celebration of International ______ Day.

15. March 10: Under the lavish, lilac lights of downtown Parker Jazz Club, the McCallum jazz band, as well as the featured combo “The Point,” perform at a ___ full of tunes for family and community members. 16. March 12: Mac _____ and field athletes compete in the Austin Relays. That same day marks the last physical school day for the semester, as school is canceled on Friday Marcy 13 due to coronavirus, sending students home for the beginning of what will become a three-week Spring Break.

17. April 6: Students pull out planners and Chromebooks in preparation for their first day of (social) _______ learning to close out the school year.

To see how you did on the puzzle, look for the answer key under the staff box on page 26. Photos by Evie Barnard, Olivia Escalante, Margaret Hearne, Madelynn Niles, Gabby Sherwood and Dave Winter and courtesy of Ricky Pringle. people 09